WND

Trump pressure on China creating rift for North Korea

Rogue neighbor threatening 'nuclear thunderbolts'

Bob Unruh joined WND in 2006 after nearly three decades with the Associated Press, as well as several Upper Midwest newspapers, where he covered everything from legislative battles and sports to tornadoes and homicidal survivalists. He is also a photographer whose scenic work has been used commercially.

China, North Korea’s biggest economic backer for decades, suddenly appears to have become enlightened “since U.S. President Donald Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping last week and threatened trade retaliation against China should it fail to cooperate on denuclearizing North Korea,” the report said.

Kim Jong Un has said a “big event” is coming, and U.S. officials revealed the the U.S. has dispatched two destroyers to an area just 300 miles from North Korea’s nuclear test site.

The U.S. also has bombers stationed in Guam, and the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group is moving into the region.

Many of the countries in the region now are on alert, as the unstable North Korean regime might not follow predictions. Both South Korea and Japan have expressed worry.

In a recent statement, the North Korean government said, “By relentlessly bringing in a number of strategic nuclear assets to the Korean peninsula, the U.S. is gravely threatening the peace and safety and driving the situation to the brink of a nuclear war.”

While North Korea has detonated nuclear weapons, many experts are in doubt whether the rogue nation has the capability of delivering them to a target.

“Any nation that has built nuclear weapons and long-range missiles, as North Korea has done, can easily overcome the relatively much simpler technological challenge of warhead miniaturization and reentry vehicle design,” warned The Hill.

CNBC reported Friday that China was concerned the conflict with North Korea “had to be stopped from reaching an ‘irreversible and unmanageable stage.'”

It said concerns “have grown” since President Trump launched 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian airfield in response to a deadly sarin nerve gas in which nearly 100 people died.

Vice President Mike Pence is scheduled to travel to South Korea Sunday.

CNBC reported Chinese officials appeared ready to work to rein in North Korea.

“We call on all parties to refrain from provoking and threatening each other, whether in words or actions, and not let the situation get to an irreversible and unmanageable stage,” said Chinese Foreign Miister Wang Yi.